craigmcn

Okay, okay, I know I don’t post here too often anymore, and I’m going to try to rectify that, but I’m hoping someone might happen to read this post and provide the advice (and maybe some of the background) I need.

I want to set up a home network. I have a fairly decent, reliable network already, but I expect to have reason to expand it in the near future. I’m expecting at least 10 devices on the network: 3 general home PCs; 2 work-related laptops; 1 NAS device for backup/device-independent storage; 1 server for shared audio and video files; 1 network-attached media player, connected to my home theatre system; and 2 printers. I would like them all to be wired, because I love the assured connectivity and higher speeds of a wired network. Preferably, the wired aspect would be through RJ45 jacks in pretty much every room (even better would be 1 RJ11 and 1 RJ45 jack in the same wall plate).

I’ll add another “nice-to-have”: 2 internet connections. I’m thinking that because BitTorrent downloading sucks up ridiculous bandwidth, it would be nice to put the server on a separate internet connection, while still being connected to the rest of the network.

So, with all the routers, switches and print servers available, the question is: What’s best way to do what I want?